Key features: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is to invest up to £20 million* in collaborative R&D projects and feasibility studies (delivered by Innovate UK on behalf of BIS) to stimulate developments in autonomous vehicles and connected transport systems.

Programme: Feasibility studies

Award: Up to £20 million

Opens:
20 Jul 2015, 00:00

Registration closes:
23 Sep 2015, 12:00

Closes:
30 Sep 2015, 12:00

Support phone number:
0300 321 4357

Connected and autonomous vehicles

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is to invest up to £20 million* in collaborative R&D projects and feasibility studies (delivered by Innovate UK on behalf of BIS) to stimulate developments in autonomous vehicles and connected transport systems.

* Note funding is only guaranteed for the 2015–16 financial year (ending 31 March 2016) and further funding is subject to decisions in the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review.

Building on the government's ‘Introducing driverless cars to UK roads' collaborative research initiative, this competition aims to encourage development of connected and autonomous vehicles, focusing on three themes – connectivity, autonomy and customer interaction – along with catalysing new business models.

Proposals must be led by a business and be collaborative. We are primarily seeking to fund collaborative research and development (industrial research). Small business partners could receive up to 70% of their eligible project costs, medium-sized businesses 60% and large businesses 50%.

We welcome consortia led by any sized company and particularly encourage proposals from medium-sized companies. Research organisations may participate as collaborators in a consortium but business partners must incur at least 70% of the total eligible project costs. We expect collaborative R&D projects to range in size from total costs of £1 million to £5 million. We encourage overseas-based partners to participate in consortia by conducting their R&D in the UK.

Up to £2.5 million of the total funding will be available for smaller-scale feasibility studies. These are open to companies working alone or collaboratively. Small businesses could receive up to 70% of their eligible project costs, medium-sized businesses 60% and large businesses 50%. We expect feasibility studies to range in size from £50,000 to £250,000.

The competition opens for both types of project application on 20 July 2015. The deadline for applications is at noon on 30 September 2015.

There will be a briefing in London for potential applicants on 4 August 2015.

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